Update: Check out Chip Cosby’s talk with Joker Phillips about criticism thrown at UK offense.
Asked what it was going to take to get the moribund UK running game cranked up, sophomore speedster Derrick Locke replied: run the ball.
Ok.
That’s understandable. Locke was afforded just six carries in UK’s 17-14 loss at Alabama on Saturday. Like most backs, he’d like more than a half-dozen totes. But fact is, Kentucky tried to run the football against the nation’s best run defense, and got absolutely nowhere. As Rich Brooks pointed out Monday, the Cats fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter. With the running game stuffed, and a two-touchdown deficit, Kentucky was forced to put the ball in the air.
Let’s go back to my favorite stat, the successful run. A review of how it works: A first-down run of four-or-more yards is deemed a successful run. If a run nets 60 percent of the yardage needed on second down, it’s a successful run. If a third-down run gains the needed yardage for a first down, it’s a successful run.
Here’s how UK did at Auburn Alabama:
| Q | Down | Rusher | Yards | Success? |
| 1 | 1-10 on 42 | Dixon | 0 | No |
| 1 | 2-10 on 42 | Dixon | 7 | No Yes |
| 1 | 3-1 on op49 | Locke | 6 | Yes |
| 1 | 2-10 on op43 | Locke | 4 | No |
| 1 | 1-10 on 20 | Smith | 0 | No |
| 1 | 1-10 on 35 | Locke | 1 | No |
| 2 | 1-13 on 3 | Smith | 2 | No |
| 2 | 2-11 on 5 | Smith | 5 | No |
| 2 | 1-10 on 23 | Locke | 2 | No |
| 2 | 1-10 on op48 | Locke | 7 | Yes |
| 2 | 1-10 on 20 | Smith | 2 | No |
| 2 | 3-3 on 27 | Smith | 2 | No |
| 3 | 1-10 on 15 | Dixon | 3 | No |
| 3 | 2-2 on 28 | Allen | -2 | No |
| 4 | 1-10 on 25 | Smith | 1 | No |
| 4 | 1-10 on 42 | Smith | 6 | Yes |
| 4 | 1-10 on 22 | Locke | 8 | Yes |
John Clay is a sports columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Central Kentucky and graduate of UK, he covered UK football for 13 seasons before being promoted to columnist in 2000. He lives in Lexington with his wife and two sons. You can e-mail him at jclay@herald-leader.com.
Your chart leads me to an entirely different conclusion. Locke was 3 for 6 in successful runs. The rest of the team was a combined 1 for 11. Since his first touches as a freshman, he has consistantly run the ball well and seldom put it on the ground. Combine that with his pass catching skills and he certainly to be our best back by a wide margin.
Maybe Locke was politely making a more specific point about who should be running the ball more.
I know Brooks hates to bench a senior captain, who has been nothing but an exemplary kid and a team player, but it is Locke, and not Dixon, who needs to be getting the bulk of the touches.
3 of Locke’s 6 carries were successful. He had 3 of the 4 on the day. I think he needs to get the ball. I think he was indirectly stating this to the media without calling out his teammates.
Locke is the back who will give us our best shot at not only successful runs, but chance at a big play. Him and Moncell will be a perfect combo as upperclassmen.
The chart does show that Locke was successful on three of his six runs, though the last one came when Bama was in a prevent defense — or supposed to be, though the Tide did give up a 48-yard touchdown pass, which was it was trying to prevent. No doubt that Derrick wants more carries. All good backs want more carries. And maybe he’s right. He hasn’t had more than 10 carries in a game thus far. He averaged 2.5 on 10 carries vs. Louisville and 3.5 on 10 carries versus Middle Tennessee.
I also believe that Locke is the best back on the team, and should get the majority of the carries. That being said, we will never have a successful running attack untill Hartline gets comfortable enough in the offense to start taking shots down field. I think he will, he seemed to mature alot in the Alabama game, and when he does the safeties will back up and the running game will open up. You can’t run successfully in the SEC when the have 8 and 9 men in the box, and untill we give them reason not to, that’s how they will play us. This is one heck of a football team and will get better as the year goes on. GO CATS!
Hi John:
Couple of points:
1. I don’t think we played Auburn Saturday. If we had, I think we would be talking about a win.:-)
2. Wouldn’t Locke’s 1st quarter run of 7 yards on second down be considered successful? He did get >60% of the yardage needed for a first down (70%, in fact), correct? Or am I missing something?
Tru
Tru, thanks for pointing my fumble(s) on saying Auburn instead of Alabama, and judging UK’s second rushing attempt unsuccessful. But that was Dixon’s run, not Locke’s. I’ve corrected the errors. Thanks for the heads-up.